Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-02-20
BIRD COURTSHIP.
HOW SOME OF THE LOWER ANIMALS DO
THEIR W00ING.
Cranes Cutting Antics-Pigeons Bforse Their Sweet
hearS-Ths Bric-a-Brac OF a Bird
LOver-CuriOusly Mated Pairs.

u SllNl vi NOul NlliP hho
amusing discovery that there was a re
markable similarity between the actions o.
the loving swain of high and low life. AS
an example, in some of the African tribes
when marriage is proposed by the dusKy
lover the coy maiden puts him through q
course OF physical sprouts that is consld-
cred a contest of his capabilities rs the pro
tector and supporter Of n family. lie ap'
pears before her and her friends anu goes
through a series of ground and lofty tum
bling that would do credit to professional
athlete, leaps into the air, strides along &c
show his walking powers, and throws his
limbs this way and that TO show the de
velopment of muscles; finally, II he makes
n good exhibition, hi is accepted, and ever
afterward the woman does all the hard
work, the groom having demonstrated
however, that he can do it if pushed to the
wall.
Among the cranes, especially the sand
hill cranes, almost exactly the same thing
can be seen in the mating season, and II
any one can approach a flock at this time
they will be repaid by a most remarkable
sight-a veritable bird circus. n relative
of mine had a large marsh upon his estate,
and here the great birds make their sum
mer home; building their curious nests
there, and rearing their young. The marsh
surrounded by high grass, and 1T was
his practice to creep through and watch
the birds unobserved. The antics they
went through il would be impossible Il
dcscribe-now they would caper along il
pairs, stepping dainty with the winning
GAIT of the ideal exquisite, lifting theil
feathers OF wings, taking short steps and
gradually working themselves up TO u bird
frenzy of excitement, when they would
lean into the air and over each Other's
backs, taking short runS this way and that
all for the edificattOn OF the fcmale stand
ing by, and the different birds selected
their mates. These beautiful birds have
been passing southwark over the San Ga
briel valley for several weeks, and present
an impressive spectacle. | have seen seve'
raj thousand pass in the course of the day
in ilockS of from 800 10 800, their hOarSe
penetrating note being heard for three OF
four miles. Their method of procedure is
to attain IN altitude of perhaps two miles
above the sea, more or less, led by IN old
male, to head tor the south, and soar and
ny away. They rest and save much ener'
ton by soaring, that is, keeping the wings
rigid and moving on Il downward plane,
which in from five to eight or ten miles
brings, them so near the earth that an rs,
cent is necessary. | have seen this action
right over my head, u wonderful display.
The birds ut first break up and appear com
pletely dcmOralized, and without n head
but suddenly they join, and seem to dis
appear then into the sunlight the come,
their backs cleaning like n nehula OF sill
yer stars, for q moment it is visible, when
they wheel so that they are again lost to
sight. Around and around they sweep,
rising higher and higher at every move,
appearing and reappearing in cleaning
phalanX, the roar OF their cries being heard
for miles, until finally they attain an alti-
tudc of perhaps n mile above the SUBMITS
of the Sierra Madres, when they form in a
long line and bear away with great velocity
for the sOvth, to repeat the mancuvre again
and again.
Among the birds of the western hemi'
sphere the cock of the rock ranks next to
the crane in the StaangeneSs of its evolu'
tons. The bird is confined to South Amer
lea, and is about the size of small pigeon,
has n bright orange web i'll the male, will
q plume-like arrangement upon the head
1t is a proud bird, principally building ITS
nest in rocky places, not frequented by
nah. At the commencement of the breed
ing season a party of birds, numbering tel
or twenty, assemble, and selecting n cleaI
space among the rocks, form a ring or circle,
facing inward. Now, a small bird takes
it's place in the centre, and begins to hoI
about, toss its head, lift its wings and &C
through all the strange movements pos
sible, that appear to he watched with great
interest by the rest. When the performel
is thoroughly exhausted he retires to thu
circle. and another bird enters the ring
and so on until all have been put through
their PAGES, when the pairs probaly make
their selection. Often the birds are so eX
hausted after their dances that they cal
hardly fly, lying painting on the rocks.
In England the c~ourtship of the great
English bustard is a rare sight, the mag,
efficient creature performing most of its
love antics in the air, making great swoops
downward, almost touching the ground,
then rising alOft to hover over its mate, Mt,
tering q peculiar cry, then alighting and
wing with the turkey in its proud aspect,
The great Otis Bengaliensis struts about
like n peacock, humming the while in O
curious series of notes, supposed to be the
dulcet tones addressed to the female bird.
In one of the Eastern nations, who by
no means consider themselves savages, the
would-be bride is placed on horseback, and
then enspes a race. If the lover can catch
her he has her, and vice versa. The male
woodpecker has to work equally hord for
his bride, and often a dozen or more claim.
ants pursue a single female, who flies until
she is worn ont, often distancing all the
competitors, and, rs a rule, becoming the
mate of the hest bird-a case of the sur
Aival of the fittest," or rather the success
of the fttess Not only do the birds re-
semble human beings in their actions, but
they appear to be governed by much the
same motives. Thus Mr.. William Conklin
the director of the Central Park Geological
Garden. informed me some years ago that
a fine wild goose secured the leadership in
the lake over a tame m that was in bad
plumage-the tickle female evidently con-
sidering looks paramount. Randolph, the
naturalist also records an instance where
a female meadow-bird left her mate for the
simple reason that he lost some of his
feathers, taking with another bird. Fine
feathers make attractive if not fine birds,
and the rule certainly applies TO humanity.
With very few exceptions the male is the
male is the most attractive, and is provided
with beautiful and attractive feathers and
highly cOlored comb to attract the atten-
ton of susceptible birds of the other sex.